PMID- 20724467
OWN - NLM
STAT- MEDLINE
DCOM- 20111108
LR  - 20191210
IS  - 1472-0213 (Electronic)
IS  - 1472-0205 (Linking)
VI  - 28
IP  - 9
DP  - 2011 Sep
TI  - Variability in the 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine content of 'ecstasy' tablets 
      in the UK.
PG  - 764-5
LID - 10.1136/emj.2010.092270 [doi]
AB  - BACKGROUND: Toxicity, such as hyperpyrexia, associated with the use of 
      3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA; 'ecstasy') appears to be related to 
      serum MDMA concentrations. However, there does not appear to be a similar 
      association with the number of tablets ingested, suggesting variation in the 
      tablet content of MDMA. Although work has shown this variation in other areas of 
      the world, no studies have reported on the variation of MDMA content in UK 
      ecstasy tablets. METHODS: Ecstasy tablets seized from individuals attending 
      nightclubs were analysed qualitatively to determine if they contained MDMA and 
      quantitatively to determine the MDMA content per tablet. RESULTS: The mean amount 
      of MDMA hydrochloride in 101 seized ecstasy tablets was 58.7+/-22.9 mg per tablet, 
      with a range of 20 mg to 131 mg per tablet. The majority (96.0%) of tablets 
      contained less than 100 mg MDMA per tablet. There appeared to be a bimodal 
      distribution of MDMA content at approximately 20-40 mg per tablet and 60-80 mg 
      per tablet. CONCLUSION: There is variability in the MDMA content of ecstasy 
      tablets in the UK. This variability could potentially put users at increased risk 
      of acute harm due to inadvertent excess ingestion of MDMA, as they are unaware of 
      the differences in the MDMA content. Repeat sampling and quantification of MDMA 
      content of ecstasy tablets in the UK will allow better education of users about 
      the potential harms associated with the variability in the MDMA content. In 
      addition, it will provide information to allow the monitoring of changes in not 
      only the MDMA content, but also other adulterants, in ecstasy tablets.
FAU - Wood, David Michael
AU  - Wood DM
AD  - Clinical Toxicology, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, and King's Health 
      Partners, London, UK. david.wood@gstt.nhs.uk
FAU - Stribley, Vasoulla
AU  - Stribley V
FAU - Dargan, Paul Ivor
AU  - Dargan PI
FAU - Davies, Susannah
AU  - Davies S
FAU - Holt, David W
AU  - Holt DW
FAU - Ramsey, John
AU  - Ramsey J
LA  - eng
PT  - Journal Article
DEP - 20100819
PL  - England
TA  - Emerg Med J
JT  - Emergency medicine journal : EMJ
JID - 100963089
RN  - 0 (Hallucinogens)
RN  - 0 (Illicit Drugs)
RN  - 0 (Tablets)
RN  - KE1SEN21RM (N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine)
SB  - IM
MH  - Hallucinogens/*chemistry
MH  - Illicit Drugs/*chemistry
MH  - N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine/*chemistry
MH  - Tablets/chemistry
MH  - United Kingdom
EDAT- 2010/08/21 06:00
MHDA- 2011/11/09 06:00
CRDT- 2010/08/21 06:00
PHST- 2010/08/21 06:00 [entrez]
PHST- 2010/08/21 06:00 [pubmed]
PHST- 2011/11/09 06:00 [medline]
AID - emj.2010.092270 [pii]
AID - 10.1136/emj.2010.092270 [doi]
PST - ppublish
SO  - Emerg Med J. 2011 Sep;28(9):764-5. doi: 10.1136/emj.2010.092270. Epub 2010 Aug 
      19.